The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns is a member of Pax Christi International (the Catholic peace movement), which is promoting a new campaign to educate about the violence in Syria.
Pax Christi International is launching a “bread is life” campaign during Lent 2013 to raise awareness about the suffering of civilian communities in Syria and to express solidarity with those who are trying to survive in Syria and as refugees in surrounding countries.
The Bread is Life campaign will take place from February 13-March 31, 2013, to coincide with the Christian observance of Lent.The acute suffering of civilian communities has been made immeasurably worse by a shortage of bread, Syria’s staple food, caused in part by the deliberate bombing of bakeries.
We call on all Pax Christi members and friends worldwide to raise awareness about the plight of the Syrian civilian population, who feel abandoned by the rest of the world; to join in a global act of solidarity through prayer and fasting; to send the Syrian people messages of support; and to advocate for effective humanitarian assistance.
We invite all Pax Christi member organizations and people of good will to:
- Leave a message of solidarity for the people of Syria that we will pass to our contacts in Syria and those living abroad. You can forward your message via email, through our Facebook page or via Twitter.
- Fast for one day or more to show your solidarity with the Syrian people. Please also tell us when you are fasting so we can let our contacts in Syria know (also via email, Facebook or Twitter). This can be done individually or as a group. Prayer services or fasting vigils in parishes and religious communities could be organized as opportunities to learn about the situation in Syria and to write solidarity messages. The power of fasting joins the political with the very personal.
Pax Christi International urges the end of violence and calls to respect the life of all Syrians without any distinction because of race, ethnic origin, creed, gender or others. Pax Christi International calls for a just peace in Syria.
Brussels, 8 February 2013